Last updated on 12 January 2024

These terms and conditions are provided so that you and I both have an upfront and honest understanding of what is involved in the process of working together, and they form the basis of a contract. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me so that I can provide clarity and reassurance.

1. General Overview

1.1 These terms and conditions apply to any work done on behalf of the Client (you) by Gabriella Cooke of Night Owl Edits (I, me).

1.2 The Client is under no obligation to offer me work; neither am I under any obligation to accept work offered by the Client.

1.3 I will provide editorial services mutually agreed upon in writing. The nature of the services I provide are as described on the services page of my website.

1.4 The work will be carried out by me. I will not subcontract proofreading/editing projects, or parts of projects, to third parties.

1.5 The work will be carried out unsupervised at such times and places as determined by me, using my own equipment.

1.6 I confirm that I am self-employed and responsible for my own income tax and National Insurance contributions. I will not claim benefits granted to the Client’s employees.

1.7 I am not VAT registered.

1.8 The contract of service requires that the Client acknowledges, in writing, that they have read, understood, and agreed to these terms and conditions.

2. Project Terms

2.1 Prior to the commencement of the editing work, the Client and I will agree, in writing, to the terms of the project:

• the medium in which the service will be carried out (e.g. Microsoft Word, PDF, Google Docs)

• how the material will be annotated (e.g. comments, Track Changes, PDF mark-up)

• the length of time required to complete the project, as advised by me and as mutually agreed

• a fee for the project, based on a quotation supplied by me, in writing, following my evaluation of the material to be edited and the time frame required to complete the work

• any expenses (e.g. admin, postage) that you will cover in addition to the costs of the editing

• the date by which the material will be delivered by the Client to me

• the latest date by which the completed project will be returned by me to the Client

2.2 Please note that if, on receipt of the project to be worked on (or at an early stage), it becomes apparent that significantly more, or less, work is required than had been anticipated in the preliminary discussion or from the sample supplied, I may renegotiate the fee and/or the deadline, or decline to carry out the work.

2.3 Similarly, if, during the term of my work, additional tasks are requested by the Client, or the word count increases significantly, I may renegotiate the fee and/or the time frame.

2.4 The Client must send the project manuscript in its entirety, as a single document in Word format, PDF, or as otherwise agreed. The Client cannot make further changes to the manuscript once it has been sent.

3. Quotations and Fees

3.1 A quotation for the work will be provided by me to the Client following my evaluation of a representative sample of the materials to be worked on, and a discussion with the Client as to what is required.

3.2 Once the Client and I have agreed the full fee, it is non-negotiable unless the Client extends the word count of the job or requests additional services. In this case, a revised quotation and job-completion date will be negotiated. I may decline to carry out the work if I cannot meet the deadline or carry out the additional tasks.

3.3 The Client will pay me a fee per 1,000 words OR per hour OR an agreed flat fee for the project, according to the prior agreement.

3.4 The completed work will be delivered on or before the date agreed, for the agreed fee, which will be based on the description of the work required and the brief, both supplied by the Client.

3.5 Unless otherwise agreed, the fee quoted for my editorial services is for one full pass of a manuscript. Additional passes are new projects, the terms of which will be agreed upon separately, with discount rates at my discretion.

3.6 I will supply the Client with the final invoice immediately upon return of the completed project.

3.7 Unless agreed otherwise at the outset, payment should be made within 21 days of receipt of my final invoice.

3.8 I occasionally undertake ‘rush jobs’ for clients requiring an urgent turnaround. Since this requires me to work overtime and rearrange my schedule, I charge an additional 15–50% for rush jobs, depending on the required turnaround, length of the project, and my availability. Please contact me to discuss the details of your situation.

3.9 Under the terms of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 (amended 2002 and 2013), I reserve the right to charge interest and compensation should payment exceed 30 days.

4. Deposits and Payment

4.1 If the total fee is more than £200, a deposit of 50% is payable.

4.2 If the project is of exceptional length (either in terms of word count or time required by the Client for revisions), I may invoice periodically for completed stages, as agreed in advance.

4.3 Deposit payments are due upon receipt of the deposit invoice. Work will not commence until the deposit amount is received.

4.4 If a deposit is required, the agreed project schedule will not be fixed until the deposit amount is received.

4.5 I accept payment by transfer to my UK bank account (British clients) or my PayPal account (international clients). The Client is responsible for any bank charges incurred.

4.6 All deposits are non-refundable.

5. Cancellation policy

5.1 Both the Client and I have the right to terminate a contract for services at any time if there is a serious breach of its terms.

5.2 The Client are free to cancel a service for any reason by providing me with a written notice; I must acknowledge this cancellation in writing for this to be valid.

5.3 The Client will remain obligated to pay a fee proportionate to the amount of work already completed (if any) if this amount is larger than the deposit paid.

5.4 I may cancel a service at any time for any reason by providing a written notice to the Client. In the unlikely event that I cancel service, I will provide a prorated refund of any overages of fees paid (including the deposit, excluding banking and admin fees).

5.5 If in the unlikely event the Client is afflicted by extraordinary or difficult circumstances that cause cancellation or delay (e.g. family crisis or illness), the Client should contact me via email to discuss the terms of the cancellation policy. I aim to be fair and helpful at all times.

5.6 If I am afflicted by similar extraordinary or difficult circumstances that cause cancellation or delay, I will contact the Client in writing via email at the earliest opportunity and do my best to renegotiate the timeframe of the project or find an alternative supplier of editorial services.

6. Confidentiality

6.1 The Client’s files will be kept confidential and will not be shared with anyone (other than the Client’s contractors, if necessary, and only with prior written permission).

6.2 I will not, under any circumstances, upload the Client’s files to external websites or distribute them to third parties unless specifically authorised to do so, in writing, by the Client.

6.3 Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Client and I may keep on record such information (e.g. contact details) as is necessary. Either may view the other’s records to ensure that they are relevant, correct, and up to date.

7. Copyright

7.1 All content delivered to me by the Client for the editing project is owned by the Client.

7.2 In this respect, the Client agrees to hold me harmless from and against all claims, liabilities, and expenses arising out of any potential or actual copyright or trademark misappropriation or infringement claimed against them.

7.3 Following payment of my invoice, any content created by me as part of the editorial process will become the copyright of the Client, unless otherwise agreed.

7.4 I may use the Client’s name and a brief description of their project in my promotional material unless the Client requests otherwise.

7.5 I may use the Client’s name and written feedback or comments made by the Client in my promotional material unless the Client requests otherwise.

8. Quality Assurance

8.1 I trained with the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and follow its Code of Practice (CoP). The CIEP CoP aims to codify standards of best practice both in the execution of editorial processes and in the operation of a professional business. To achieve best results, the Client and I should make explicit our expectations and agree on how they are to be fulfilled.

8.2 I aim for objectivity in my editorial feedback by basing my edits and suggestions on external principles and resources of authority, such as established literary theory and style guide manuals. However, there will always been some degree of subjectivity to any creative project, and the writing–editing process is ultimately one of collaboration where the Client has the final say in the decisions made about the work.

8.3 While I aim for the highest editorial standards, I cannot guarantee perfection. It would be unethical to do so, and if an editor guarantees a flawless manuscript, they are not being honest with you. Although I excel at my work, I am not infallible. This means there is a small chance of some mistakes being overlooked during the editing process. It’s my job to be as meticulous and as precise as possible, of course, and as an experienced and qualified professional editor, I always aim for the highest standard of editing and can guarantee that my work will result in a substantially higher-quality text.

9. Legal Jurisdiction

9.1 This agreement is subject to the laws of England and Wales, and both me and the Client agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts.

9.2 The exclusive venue for any arbitration or court proceeding based on or arising out of this Agreement shall be London, England.

10. Privacy Policy and GDPR

10.1 Please read my privacy policy, which explains how I use and store any information that you provide and comply with data protection law.

11. Acknowledgements in Published Works

11.1 There is no requirement for the Client to mention me (Gabriella Cooke of Night Owl Edits) in the published work’s acknowledgements section. However, the Client agrees that I will have the opportunity to review any such mention prior to publication, or to decline to be mentioned.